Compost Tumbler with A-Frame Base – Tumbler with a Twist! “Garbage” In, Garden Out!
This is not the typical “T-Post” DIY tumbler! When it’s full, a compost barrel can weigh up to 440 pounds, and this tumbler’s A-frame base is super sturdy.
The design of the legs make this compost tumbler wheelbarrow friendly, allowing the wheelbarrow to tuck under the barrel. Now, emptying the compost doesn’t have to be a messy job.
Sifting, sorting and screening the finished compost just got a lot easier too! Check out the DIY Shaker Table Project.
The problem:
The DIY compost tumbler plans and how-to videos found online are usually based on a T-post design, with the legs in the shape of an inverted “T”. The problem with that type of base is that they are not very stable, especially when turning a barrel that may weigh over 400 pounds!
T-post bases can be made more stable, but increasing the size of the base comes at the cost of making it difficult to get a wheelbarrow close enough to the barrel. The result is that emptying the tumbler can quickly become a big mess.
It’s easier to get the wheelbarrow under the barrel!
The solution:
Making an A-Frame design with a criss-cross base was the answer. A Tumbler with a Twist!
This base is super strong and can easily support a heavy compost load. The heavier the load, the more the tumbler “plants its feet” and becomes even more steady.
Best part is that “doing the Limbo” and getting a wheelbarrow to go low enough under the barrel is a piece of cake!
The video below shows the steps in detail to make this compost tumbler, and NEW for this project is a FREE comprehensive Plans & Tutorial PDF.
Summary of Steps:
- Cut and assemble the legs
- Measure angles for cross braces
- Attach braces to frame
- Cut holes in barrel
- Insert vents and drain
- Make and install air shaft
- Mount barrel to base
- Fill it up and start making compost!
Show us your tumbler! Now you can share photos in the comments below!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I may earn a small commission on items bought using them. These are the same recommendations I would make regardless of any compensation. For products that I have older versions of, I recommend the items that I would replace them with if I were buying them new.
Resources for Compost Tumbler (also listed in FREE Compost Tumbler PDF)
These are the tools and supplies I used to build my compost tumbler. Alternative and optional tools are listed in the FREE PDF. You do not need all of them, so feel free to substitute with tools you have available.
Kobalt 24V MAX Brushless Variable Speed 1/4″ Impact Driver
From Amazon
Driver, charger & battery. FREE Tips and Tricks PDF for Impact Drivers
Kobalt 24V MAX Brushless 1/2″ Drill/Driver
From Amazon
Drill, charger & battery
Kobalt 24V MAX Brushless 2 Tool Combo Kit
From Amazon
Great value combo kit with both the impact driver, drill, and charger & battery
Luckyway 17-piece hole saw kit
From Amazon
Includes the 1″, 1-1/4″ and 4″ needed for this project
1/2″ Irwin Speedbor Spade Bit
From Amazon
6″, impact rated
Swanson Aluminum 12″ Speed Square
From Amazon
Alternative to framing square
Delta ShopMaster 10″ Compound Sliding Miter Saw with Laser
From Amazon
Alternative to hand saw or circular saw as shown in PDF
IRWIN QUICK-GRIP Bar Clamp, Medium-Duty, 12″
From Amazon
For supporting cross braces while attaching, as shown in video
Hardware store components, such as fittings, lumber, couplers and more, are conveniently listed in the FREE Compost Tumbler PDF.
The PDF has a visual parts guide, complete with pictures and specifications. This makes it a convenient shopping list to take to the store with you.
It is impractical to have links to these small parts since they will vary depending on your store, and would be expensive to ship. Please ask any questions you might have about these.
There are more DIY projects in the works, so stay tuned to Uncharted DIY. Feel free to comment, post photos of your Compost Tumbler or ask questions about this project.
Matt
11/07/2020 @ 12:48 pm
Thanks for the great composter plans!! I love your site. Would you have purchase links for the composter materials? I didn’t notice any on your Resources page. Thanks!
Matt W
Uncharted Steve
11/07/2020 @ 2:45 pm
Hi Matt! Thanks for reading the site, and I’m happy you enjoy it!
I didn’t include links for every single item on the parts list for this project. The reason is that many of them are small parts with only a few needed, and it is not cost effective to order them online. Also, many of the hardware store parts are not listed on Home Depot or Lowes sites.
Instead, the visual parts list in the PDF allows people to bring the PDF on their phone, or print those pages to bring to the hardware store to use a shopping list.
This is much more cost effective than buying larger quantities than needed, or paying more shipping than the small parts actually cost.
Please let me know if you have any questions or if you’d like to share any tips and tricks you learn as you build yours. I would love to see pictures, and you can add images to the comments right here on this page!
John Baker
03/21/2023 @ 11:00 pm
This was a great project: Very well documented, easy to follow and you couldn’t beat the price either!
I made two or three changes to the original design which may benefit anybody else that’s attempting the project:
First off I’m a big fan of Uniseal products and I had a 4-in Uniseal ring lying around and so I decided to use 4-in PVC instead of the 3-in PVC. I bought an either/or 3×4 ABS flange.
The 4-inch Uniseal required a 5-in hole saw but I found a cheap set of hole saws on Amazon for around $20. You could go cheaper at Harbor Freight I found one there for around $15.
The Uniseal worked out exceptionally well for me because the bottom of my barrel was very uneven and the flange alone would have let a lot of water seep out the bottom but the Uniseal was very forgiving and now I have a watertight seal around the bottom of the inner pvc tube.
Continuing on with the Uniseal products, I decided to use a 3/4 Uniseal on the two sides where the galvanized pipe goes through the barrel in order to make the whole barrel bug proof. The 3/4 Uniseal fits perfectly into the 1 1/4 inch hole that was given in the instructions and although it was a little bit of a hitch getting the pipe to go through both sides it is doable. I can help anyone with that if they want to know how to do it.
The last thing is that I had a real problem with trying to affix the screen material against the flange and so since I had a 3-in hole on the inside bottom of the flange – since I used 4-in pipe on the outside, I was able to find an adapter pipe that let me put in a slip-in 3-in tube adapter with threads for a screw-in clean out plug to the bottom opening.
I drilled 5 holes into the clean-out plug and then used a glue gun to glue the screen material over the holes. Now, if the ventilation tube gets plugged up or if I need to get in there for whatever reason I can simply unscrew the cleanout plug and fix whatever’s messed up.
I’d send pics but the upload size is a lot smaller than the pics I’ve taken. I highly recommend this project and I hope it’s going to be a big success my wife is thrilled. Thank you so much for providing this.
Uncharted Steve
03/21/2023 @ 11:32 pm
Wow John!
I’m happy you found the plans useful. Those sound like some really nice modifications! I love to see how people innovate and improve upon the design!
I’d love to see pics, but the upload size is rather small. I will email you in a moment and I’d be happy to post the images if you’d like to share them.
Thanks so much for taking the time to post your modifications!
Uncharted Steve
03/22/2023 @ 10:02 pm
Here are John’s images of his excellent compost tumbler project. Thanks to John for sharing his modifications, and very nice work!
This image shows the final project.
John says; “I also used a 1/2 inch Uniseal on the bottom to add a faucet for the compost tea. I cut a repair coupling in half and put it on the inside so as the faucet wouldn’t slip out”
Uncharted Steve
03/22/2023 @ 10:05 pm
John’s tumbler: Pic showing 4 inch Uniseal
Uncharted Steve
03/22/2023 @ 10:06 pm
John’s tumbler: Pic showing clean out plug
Uncharted Steve
03/22/2023 @ 10:09 pm
John’s tumbler: Pic showing uneven bottom and how flange doesn’t line up
Uncharted Steve
03/22/2023 @ 10:11 pm
John’s tumbler: Pivot detail
Mark Schultz
02/17/2021 @ 4:44 pm
I downloaded the Compost Tumbler plans and was impressed by the detail in the document. While some of the details seem overly complex, you can’t say that anything was left out.
Had looked at and ordered plans for a similar drum composter from another site thefamilyhandyman.com which cost me $6.99 and got a 4 page document with glaring omissions and an incomplete parts list. I will be building the one from your site instead this spring.
Mark Schultz
Uncharted Steve
02/17/2021 @ 5:18 pm
Thanks for the feedback, Mark. Some of these steps seem complicated to read about, but actually go pretty quickly when you do them. I would love to see your project when you build it!
Tom Deshaies
09/04/2022 @ 12:54 pm
What a great design! I finally had some free time this weekend to build a compost tumbler from Steve’s plans and I love it. It spins effortlessly and is super sturdy. The plans are clear and concise and if I had any questions all I had to do was check his video.
Tom Deshaies
Putney, Vermont
Uncharted Steve
09/04/2022 @ 1:12 pm
Nice work, Tom! That looks great!
David
12/29/2023 @ 10:53 pm
Hi and thank for your page.
I made a tumbler , slightly modified from your design.
David
12/29/2023 @ 11:00 pm
I reinforced the area where the steel pipe pierced the olive drum. I used plastic chopping board inside and outside the drum.
I wanted to get my wheel barrow completely underneath the upturned drum so changed the supports to accommodate. I have 45 degree brackets at the back of the stand.
For the top air-vent I used a water tank overflow flange that has fly-wire built into it. Inside the top of the airvent pipe has a fly-wire covered top. This can be removed so I can clean out debris from the air-vent pipe if it accumulates in the future.
Thanks again for your info and pages
David
Uncharted Steve
12/30/2023 @ 1:33 am
Nice work, David! It looks great and I love your changes. It’s a lot of fun too see how everyone modifies the design, and the creativity behind the mods.
Thanks so much for sharing your work!
David
01/01/2024 @ 1:15 am
I made a short video Steve, with acknowledgement to your page. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b03vRB82vuQ&t=194s